Gastroenterologists Can Treat Your Bloating Problems To Give You Relief

Everyone, at one time or another, experiences gas and bloating during their lives. Everybody's digestive tract processes food differently, which makes it difficult to identify the precise cause of your particular symptoms. What you can do though is reduce your symptoms by tracking what brings about those symptoms and then eliminate them. When your symptoms worsen, consult a gastroenterologist who will find a treatment method that addresses your bloating and gas problems.

Very Serious Symptoms

Definitely seek medical intervention if you experience symptoms such as uncontrolled diarrhea or vomiting, no bowel movements for three days or more, and you also have periods of unconsciousness, as well as blood in your stool.

Possible Causes

In addition to excessive gas, bloating may be caused by functional gastrointestinal disorders, which are a group of conditions that alter the functions of your GI tract. In such cases, your doctor might perform lab tests. These tests are performed to rule out more serious diseases, like cancer or Crohn's affliction. When results return as normal, a functional GI disorder is thought to be causing your specific symptoms, which means that there is no really obvious reason for your symptoms.

Some doctors conclude that your functional GI disorders may just mean that you are sensitive to pain and normal amounts of gas in your stomach. They sometimes feel that muscle contractions along your GI tracts are not coordinated, and thus you have such painful symptoms.

Treatments

Your physician may start you on medication treatments that ease your bloating symptoms. Antispasmodics relax your bowel muscles and provide you with relief. Some dietary supplements that contain live bacteria might be recommended. They balance out existing bacteria of your intestines. Some supplements that also help contain low levels of probiotic bacteria are in various yogurt products. Other treatments could be of the type that are prescribed for irritable bowel syndrome. In some bloating cases, your physician might recommend the use of antidepressants, which affect receptors in your stomach and in your brain. When given in lower dosages than what's prescribed for depression, they have proven to help relieve bloating. Medication options will be discussed with you by your physician.

Dietary Changes

Your doctor or a registered dietitian can determine if a diet low in FODMAPs is good for you to alleviate bloating symptoms. FODMAPs contain carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed by your small intestine and also quickly fermented in your stomach by bacteria.